Better Than Wine - All Our Daily Bread Daily Devotionals for 2025

Bible in a Year : Psalms 89-90, Romans 14

Your name is ointment poured forth.
Song of Songs 1:3

Today's Scripture & Insight : Song of Songs 1:1-4

Though Kelvin doesn’t remember it, he was flung from a car when it tipped over the bank and fell down to the ravine. The car landed on top of him, severing his spinal cord and leaving him paralysed. He was just twenty-three, returning from a hike with friends, and prayed desperately to God, “Please, don’t let me die.”

Because his lungs had mostly collapsed, he struggled to breathe, and in that darkest of moments his instinct was to murmur the name of Jesus as a prayer over and over, like a heartbeat. Looking to Jesus at that crucial time kept him going.

Kelvin recalled a phrase from the Bible, “your name is ointment poured forth” (Song of Songs 1:3, NKJV). Song of Songs is a dramatic love song between a bride and groom, written either by or about King Solomon (v. 1)—but many theologians see in it a metaphor for the church’s love for Jesus, as the bride of Christ (see Revelation 21:2). The bride sings the praises of the king, “Let him kiss me . . . your love is better than wine” (Song of Songs 1:2). For Kelvin, Jesus’ name was not only beautiful, like perfume, but also healing, like ointment.

Even the simplest prayers of adoration are powerful. In our daily living as well as crisis situations, we can spend time praying, letting Jesus’ name be ointment for us, delighting in His character and love.

By: Tanya Marlow

Reflect & Pray
What proportion of your prayers are adoration, simply praising God for being God? When in your life have you prayed a simple but powerful prayer?

Sweet, merciful, kind, ever-present Jesus, we thank You for Your love for us and the intimacy we can have in prayer with You.